Hampshire Police Release Drink Drive Figures

Figures from Hampshire Police show drink driving arrests across the county are down 22% on the same time last year.

Officers have now arrested 97 people on suspicion of drink-driving since their Christmas drink drive campaign launched on December 1st.

Between 12.01am on Saturday, December 1 and 11.59pm on Sunday, December 16, 71 men [73%] and 26 women [27%] were arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol.

The figure shows a 22% drop in arrests during the same period in 2011.

Of those arrested, 59 were charged, 30 were bailed pending further enquiries and eight were released with no further action.

So far, the youngest person arrested was 18 years old and the oldest was 81. The average age of alleged offenders was 37 years.

The campaign will continue until January 1, 2013, and will be targeting those suspected of driving under the influence of drink or drugs, both on the way home from nights out and the morning after.

Those found to be over the limit will be taken into custody immediately, leaving their vehicle at the side of the road or if it's causing an obstruction, impounded.

Chief Inspector Andy Bottomley, of the Joint Operations Unit roads policing for Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, said: ''I would like to be able to say the decrease in arrests is down to the drink-drive message finally getting through – and I hope it is.

A reduction is certainly encouraging as it does perhaps suggest that fewer people are taking that risk than last year. But that doesn’t mean we’ll be complacent. We’re still arresting drink-drive suspects every day and know we’ll arrest more before the year is out.

I would thank those who have supported the campaign so far. I have heard of a mum printing out our drink-drive messages and leaving it her teenage son’s room, a young woman who posted our drink-drive videos on her friends Facebook pages and taxi companies dishing out our bumper stickers to their drivers.

The support has been overwhelming and starts off with one simple gesture – choosing not to drink and drive.''

This week officers from Fratton Roads Policing Unit will be taking the campaign crashed car roadshow to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth.

The wreck of the blue Vauxhall Corsa which was involved in a crash in which its drunk-driver was killed last year, will be at the shopping outlet on Friday 21st from 7pm to 11pm.

To coincide with the roadshow's last night before it heads over to the Isle of Wight, and in tribute to the bravery of the family whose daughter died in the collision, from sunset Spinnaker Tower will be illuminated in the campaign colour - yellow.